A novel 4.25 kb heterozygous deletion in PAX6 in a Chinese Han family with congenital aniridia combined with cataract and nystagmus

Shotgun metagenomics reveals the gut microbial diversity and functions in Vespa mandarinia (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) at multiple life stages

Wasps play important roles as predators and pollinators in the ecosystem. The Jingpo minority residing in Yunnan Province, China, has a traditional practice of using wine infused with mature wasps as a customary remedy for managing rheumatoid arthritis. The larva of the wasp is also a tasteful folk dish that has created a tremendous market. There is a paucity of survival knowledge, which has greatly restricted their potential applications in food and healthcare. Recent research has highlighted the importance of gut microbiota in insect growth. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of understanding regarding the composition, changes, and functions of the gut microbiota in Vespa mandarinia during development. In this research, the gut microbiota were investigated across three growth stages of Vespa mandarinia using a metagenomic technology. The result revealed that there are significant variations in the proportion of main gut microbes during the metamorphosis of Vespa mandarinia. Tenericutes were found to dominate during the larval stage, while Proteobacteria emerged as the dominant group post-pupation. Through a comprehensive analysis of the gut microbiota metagenome, this study revealed functional differences in the wasp gut microbiota at various growth stages. During the larval stage, the gut microbiota plays a central role in promoting metabolism. Following pupation, the gut microbiota exhibited diversified functions, likely due to the complex environments and diverse food sources encountered after metamorphosis. These functions included amino acid metabolism, compound degradation, and defense mechanisms. This research provides an extensive dataset on the gut microbiota during the metamorphosis of Vespa mandarinia, contributing to a deeper understanding of the influence of gut microbiota on wasp growth. Furthermore, this study uncovers a unique microbial treasure within insect guts, which is important for advancing the application of wasps in the fields of food and medicine.

A novel PAX6 variant as the cause of aniridia in a Chinese patient with SRRRD

BACKGROUND

The genotype characteristics and their associated clinical phenotypes in patients with aniridia were analyzed to explore pathogenic variants using whole-exome sequencing.

METHODS

One patient with aniridia was enrolled at the Beijing Tongren Hospital. Comprehensive ophthalmic and general examinations were performed on the patient. DNA was extracted from the patient, and whole-exome sequencing was performed to identify the causative variant. The pathogenicity of the variant was predicted using in silico analysis and evaluated according to American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines. Relationships between genetic variants and clinical features were analyzed.

RESULTS

In addition to the classical aniridia phenotype showing complete iris aplasia, foveal hypoplasia, and ectopic lentis, the patient also exhibited spontaneous reattachment rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (SRRRD). Whole-exome sequencing identified a novel heterozygous variant, exon8:c.640_646del:p.R214Pfs*28.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study broadens the range of genetic variants described in aniridia and presents an aniridia patient with SRRRD.

Novel variants in the RDH5 Gene in a Chinese Han family with fundus albipunctatus

Background

The aim of this study is to identify the genetic defects in a Chinese family with fundus albipunctatus.

Methods

Complete ophthalmic examinations, including slit-lamp biomicroscopy, dilated indirect ophthalmoscopy, fundus photography, autofluorescence, swept source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) and full-field electroretinography (ffERG) were performed. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples and whole genome sequencing was performed. Variants were validated with Sanger sequencing.

Results

Six members in this Chinese family, including three affected individuals and three controls, were recruited in this study. The ophthalmic examination of three recruited patients was consistent with fundus albipunctatus. Three variants, a novel frameshift deletion c.39delA [p.(Val14CysfsX47] and a haplotype of two rare missense variants, c.683G > A [p.(Arg228Gln)] along with c.710A > G [p.(Tyr237Cys], within the retinal dehydrogenase 5 (RDH5) gene were found to segregate with fundus albipunctatus in this family in an autosomal recessive matter.

Conclusion

We identified novel compound heterozygous variants in RDH5 responsible for fundus albipunctatus in a large Chinese family. The results of our study further broaden the genetic defects of RDH5 associated with fundus albipunctatus.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12886-022-02301-5.

Case Report: A Novel Mutation in the CRYGD Gene Causing Congenital Cataract Associated with Nystagmus in a Chinese Family

Purpose: Congenital cataract (CC) is a common disease resulting in leukocoria and the leading cause of blindness in children worldwide. Approximately 50% of congenital cataract is inherited. Our aim is to identify mutations in a Chinese family with congenital cataract.

Methods: A four-generation Chinese family diagnosed with congenital cataract was recruited in West China Hospital of Sichuan University. Genomic DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of these participants. All coding exons and flanking regions were amplified and sequenced, and the variants were validated using Sanger sequencing. AlphaFold2 was used to predict possible protein structural changes in this variant.

Results: The proband had congenital nuclear cataract with nystagmus. A heterozygous variant c.233C > T was identified in exon 2 of the CRYGD gene in chromosome 2. This mutation resulted in a substitution of serine with phenylalanine at amino acid residue 78 (p.S78F). The variant might result in a less stable structure with a looser loop and broken hydrogen bond predicted by AlphaFold2, and this mutation was co-segregated with the disease phenotype in this family.

Conclusion: We described cases of human congenital cataract caused by a novel mutation in the CRYGD gene and provided evidence of further phenotypic heterogeneity associated with this variant. Our study further extends the mutation spectrum of the CRYGD gene in congenital cataract.